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'1. w. TAYLOR. SAFETY DETONA TING Fusa. APPLIQATION FILED SEPT. I9. 1918.

Patented N03 11,1919.

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AUDRA/EYS J. W. TAYLOR.

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Patented Nov. .11, 1919.

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To all whom it may concern if prevent 'detonating iuses, and has f provide mechanism" in connection with the which is naturally Be it known that 1, JOHN W'A'LLA E TAY- LOR, a citizen of th '"United States,- and a resident of Philadelphia, in the county of 'Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania,

have invented certain new and "useful Imrovements in Safety Detonating-Fuses, of which the following is a specification.

My invention animprovement in safety its object to safety chamber ,of a deto'nating fuse for abenergy of the detonasorbing the explosive ton to avoid the transmission of the explosion to the booster charge.

- In the drawings: I

Figure 1 is a vertical section of a shell showing one embodiment of the invention;

Figs. 2 and 3 are similar views, showing other embodiments;

Fig. 4: is a t loolring in gacent to the line;

Fig. 5 1, looking in the direction of the arrows adjacent to theline.

As is known, detonati-ng fuses frequently have a safety chamber in which the detonator is normally carried. If the detonator, more or less liable to spontaneous action, should explode in this position during t 'ansportation or in the bore of the gun, no damage could result, other than the loss of the detonator. \Vhen the fuse is armed, which it is designed to be after being expelled from the gun, the detonator passes fromthe safety chamber into an exploding chamber in direct contact with the charge of the shell and then functions, properly exploding the shell on impact with the target. The safety bhamber must be a relatively large chamber of adequate capacity to contain the gaseous products of cornbustion of the detonator at a nominally low pressure and temperature, sufficiently low to rupture of the chamber or communication er the explosive to the shell charge. The'present invention is designed to obtain the same results, without requirin the use of a large safety chamber.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 1, the striker 1 carries the detonator 2, and the said striker is movable longitudinally in the closing cap 3 of the fuse stock 4-, which is threaded into the small end of the shell indicated is a section on the line 55 of Fig.

stock e/ngaging at its detonator casing 17 the usual cap 25.

, Specification of Letters eaters, Patented Nov. 1111, 191%. Application filed Qe'ptember 19, 1918. Serial No. 2544724.

to canse thecasing 2 to engage with the pin 9. fllhe striker'is normally held from inward moyement by asplit ring cons sting, of

similar'sections l0, wh1ch enc rcle a redu ed neck 11 on the striker the ring sections bearing alone'ee'nd against the end of the fuse 3 and at theother against the annular shoulder .formed between the body of the striliarand the reduced portion. T se ring sectionsare held in place by a light wire 12 which engageskabout them in an annular groove during the acceleration of the shell in the bdre of the gun. When the shell leaves the gun, however, the ring sections 'are thrown apart by centrifugal force, leaving the'striker free except for the shear wire 13 which extends transversely oi the striker, ends the fuse stock 3. On impact with the tar et, the striker breaks the shear wlre andt e detonator charge is earned back l'nto the easing Sand fired on the pin9, detonating the booster charge in the booster chamber 6, which. in turn explodes the shell charge.

The detonator charge casing 2,1When in' normal safety position, is within a hmall annular chamber 14, the said chamber being a safety chamber. This chamber opens to the atmosphere by substantially radial openings 15 and in case of premature explosion of the detonator the gases are distributed through t ese openings 15 to the atmosphere, preventing any disastrous results from follow. ing the premature action of the detonator.

In Fig. 2 the striker 16- carries the in the same manner as in Fig. 1, and the striker is' held by the half rings 18 and the shear wire -19, the half rings 18 being bound by the light wire 20. The casing 21 is the same asthe casing 9 and carries the firing pin 22 for firing the detonator charge. The fuse stock 23 carries the booster char e 24, and is closed by he safety chamber28 is filled with a suitable reagent, capable of al'isorbing the gases evolved by a premature explosion of the detonator, such, for instance, as charcoal, metallic sponge or cuprous chlorid. A catalytic substance, such as pulverized nickel, may be added to hasten the chemical reaction if desired, or a substance may be used capable oi combining with the gas to form a solid or liquid product, as, for instance, a metallic oxid or hydro-oxid capable of forming a carbonate or other solids with carbon monoxid or other gases.

111 Fig 3 the striker 27 is held by the ring sections '38 bound by the light wire 29 and by the shear wire 30 and the striker carries the detonator casing 31 which is adapted to be moved into the chamber 32 on impact, the said chamber carrying the firing pin 33. The 'luse stock (A and the cap are the same as in Figs. 1 and 2. The safety chamber 36 is a trifle larger than those shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and within this chamber is arranged an agent which, while not reducing the amount of effective gas present after premature explosion of the detonator by chemical combination or physical absorption, yet reduces the temperature rapidly by means of its physical heat characteristics, as, for instance, quartz sand or metallic wool. A preferable agent is copper cloth, since it presents an extensive exposed surface and has a very higlr heat conductivity as well as a high specific heat. Its heats of fusion and Volatilization are also high. The distortion of the wire mesh, the raising of its temperature and the fusion and even partial volatilization all require heat, which very rapidly reduces the temperature and pressure of the evolved gases 01 the dctonator explosion. As shown,

a strip 37 of copper cloth is used, the said strip being wound in spiral form about the detonator casing and the ad a-Cent end of the striker in the safety chamber.

With the improvement alarge safety chamber is not necessary, thus giving more space for the bursting charge of the shell and fuse and making the construction very flexible. In cases where it is not desirable to have openings into the safety chamber, as, -for instance, when firing into water or marshy ground, then the construction. of Figs. or 8 is preferable. ld hen there are no objections to the openings 15 the form of Fig. 1 is both simple and effective.

If desired, a salt with its Water of crystallization may also be added in the construction of Fig. 2 to assist the chemical re-action or even-to extinguish the flame with the moisture evolved on heating.

I claim:

1. In detonating fuses having safety chambers encircling the detonator charge when in withdrawn position, meansin connection with the said. chamber for reducing the pressure and temperature in the same in case of premature explosion o1 the detonator, said means comprising reagents capable of absorbing or combining with the products of combustion.

2. In detonating fuses having safety chambers encircling the detonator charge when in withdrawn position, means in connection with the said chamber for rcducing the pressure and temperature in the same in case of premature explosion of the detonator, saidmeans comprising reagents capable of rapidly absorbing the heat erated by the premature explosion of the detonator.

3. In a detonating fuse having a. safety chamber, means in the said chamber for reducing the pressure and temperature in the same in case of premature explosion at the detonator and consisting of i'naterial capable of rapidly absorbing the heat erated by the premature explosion.

JOHN WALLACE TA ll'itlllt. 

